Security cameras were installed in Kerrey Hall hallways sometime over winter break, months after calls for increased security in the wake of anti-Semitic graffiti there.
Last semester, after several doors in the residence hall were vandalized with drawings of swastikas, many students wondered if the school would take any preventative security measures to help residents feel safer.
No one had been held responsible for the anti-Semitic vandalism as of Dec. 17, and New School officials didn’t immediately provide any updated information as of Thursday night.
After the incident, victims who had their doors vandalized said they did not feel safe in their own living space and asked for more concrete measures by the school to ensure the safety of its students.
Jess Williams, a Kerry Hall resident whose dorm door was defaced, previously told The New School Free Press, “We will not feel safe until there are cameras in these hallways.”
Another student whose door was targeted, Nina Houghton, agreed, saying cameras are a “must.”
After students expressed these concerns, two cameras were installed at opposing ends of the public hallway facing the elevators.
Campus safety will also increase patrols in all residence halls, officials said.
“Safety is our biggest priority in our residence halls, and we regularly review options to enhance the security of our students,” said the vice president for Student Success, Michelle Relyea.
Photos: Orlando Mendiola